The 2010 National League Championship Series (NLCS) was a best-of-seven game Major League Baseball playoff series that pitted the winners of the 2010 National League Division Series—the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants—against each other for the National League Championship. The Giants would defeat the Phillies, four games to two, to advance to their first World Series since 2002. The series, the 41st NLCS in league history, began on October 16 and ended on October 23. The Phillies had home field advantage as a result of their better regular-season record. The Phillies hosted Games 1, 2 and 6, while the Giants were at home for Games 3, 4 and 5.
The Giants would go on to defeat the Texas Rangers in the World Series in five games, winning their first World Series championship since 1954, and their first since relocating to San Francisco from New York City back in 1958, ending the Curse of Coogan's Bluff.
Summary
Philadelphia Phillies vs. San Francisco Giants
Game summaries
Game 1
In one of the most touted postseason pitching matchups in recent history, two former Cy Young Award winners faced off: Roy Halladay for the Phillies and Tim Lincecum for the Giants. The Giants jumped out to a 1–0 lead in the top of the third inning on a Cody Ross solo home run, Halladay's first hit allowed in the postseason. The Phillies quickly tied the game up in the bottom half of the same inning on a home run from catcher Carlos Ruiz.
The game remained tied until the top of the fifth inning, when Ross belted his second homer of the game, another solo shot, giving San Francisco a 2–1 lead. The Giants extended that lead to 4–1 the following inning on a string of three two-out hits, namely, a single by Buster Posey, a double by former Phillie Pat Burrell, and a single from Juan Uribe. In the bottom of the same inning, the sixth, the Phillies closed the deficit to 4–3 on a two-run blast from Jayson Werth.
Lincecum and Halladay then each pitched a scoreless half of the seventh before turning the game over to their respective bullpens. Southpaw Javier López retired the first two Philadelphia batters of the eighth inning, then handed the ball to Giants closer Brian Wilson, who recorded a four-out save, striking out Shane Victorino to end the game.
Game 2
In the first inning Chase Utley walked, then stole second. Mike Fontenot misfielded Plácido Polanco's grounder and everybody advanced. Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins both walked, bringing in Utley for the first run. Oswalt no-hit the Giants through the fifth inning until Cody Ross hit a home run, his third in two games. This was the third straight game in which Ross's solo home run broke up a no-hitter. In the bottom inning, Shane Victorino doubled, then advanced to third on a Utley fly out. Polanco's sacrifice fly brought in the second Phillie run.
In the bottom of the seventh inning Oswalt hit a single up the middle. That knocked Sánchez out of the game, bringing in Ramón Ramírez. Oswalt then advanced on a Victorino sacrifice bunt. Polanco then ripped a single up the middle bringing in Oswalt. Ramírez was brought down and in came Jeremy Affeldt. Affeldt struck out Howard then intentionally walked Jayson Werth. Giants manager Bruce Bochy then sent in Santiago Casilla to face Jimmy Rollins. Rollins ripped a three-run double off Casilla, extending the Phillies' lead to five.
With a five-run lead, Oswalt pitched a scoreless eighth. He struck out nine while allowing three hits and walking three.
Game 3
With the series shifting to San Francisco for a day Game 3, and the series tied 1–1, both teams again threw very good starting pitchers, 2008 World Series MVP Cole Hamels for Philadelphia and All-Star Matt Cain for San Francisco. Both starters started out strong, dominating the first three innings. In the fourth inning, however, the Giants broke through against Hamels. Édgar Rentería led off with a base hit to right, and was bunted to second by Freddy Sanchez. Following Buster Posey's strikeout and Pat Burrell's walk, Cody Ross ripped a fastball down the left field line for an RBI single, his fourth RBI of the NLCS. Aubrey Huff then singled off the glove of a diving Chase Utley, bringing in Burrell and making the score 2–0, Giants.